[kneeling bus]{n.}, {informal} A bus equipped with a hydraulicdevice to enable it to drop almost to curb level for greater ease of boardingand leaving vehicle, as a convenience for elderly or handicapped passengers.•/The man on crutches was pleased to see the kneeling bus./

[knell] See: DEATH KNELL.

[knit] See: CLOSE-KNIT.

[knitting] See: STICK TO ONE’S KNITTING or TEND TO ONE’S KNITTING.

[knock] See: SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS.

[knock about] or [knock around] {v.} To travel without a plan; gowhere you please. •/After he graduated from college, Joe knocked about for ayear seeing the country before he went to work in his father’s business./Compare: KICK AROUND.

[knock back on one’s heels] See: SET BACK ON ONE’S HEELS.

[knock cold]{v. phr.}, {informal} To render unconscious. •/Theblow on the chin knocked Harry cold./

[knock down]{v. phr.} To reduce; lower. •/The realtors said that ifwe decided to buy the house, they would knock the price down by 10%./

[knocked out]{adj.}, {slang} Intoxicated; drugged; out of one’smind. •/Jim sounds so incoherent, he must be knocked out./

[knock for a loop] or [throw for a loop] {v. phr.}, {slang} Tosurprise very much. •/When I heard they were moving, I was really knocked fora loop./ •/The news of their marriage threw me for a loop./

[knock it off]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. To stoptalking about something considered not appropriate or nonsensical by thelistener. — Used frequently as an imperative. •/Come on, Joe, knock it off,you’re not making any sense at all!/ 2. To cease doing something; to quit. — Heavily favored in the imperative. •/Come on boys, knock it off, you’rebreaking the furniture in my room!/

[knock off]{v. phr.}, {slang} 1. To burglarize someone. •/Theyknocked off the Manning residence./ 2. To murder someone. •/The gangstersknocked off Herman./

[knock off one’s feet]{v. phr.} To surprise (someone) so much that hedoes not know what to do. •/Her husband’s death knocked Mrs. Jones off herfeet./ •/When Charlie was given the prize, it knocked him off his feet fora few minutes./ Compare: BOWL OVER(2), SWEEP OFF ONE’S FEET.

[knock one’s block off]{v. phr.}, {slang} To hit someone veryhard; beat someone up. •/Stay out of my yard or I’ll knock your block off./•/Jim will knock your block off if he catches you riding his bike./

[knock oneself out]{v. phr.}, {informal} To work very hard; make agreat effort. •/Mrs. Ross knocked herself out planning her daughter’swedding./ •/Tom knocked himself out to give his guests a good time./Compare: BREAK ONE’S NECK, FALL OVER BACKWARDS, OUT OF ONE’S WAY.

[knock on wood]{v. phr.} To knock on something made of wood to keepfrom having bad luck. — Many people believe that you will have bad luck if youtalk about good luck or brag about something, unless you knock on wood; oftenused in a joking way. •/Charles said, "I haven’t been sick all winter."Grandfather said, "You’d better knock on wood when you say that."/

[knockout]{n.}, {slang} 1. Strikingly beautiful woman. •/Sue isa regular knockout./ 2. A straight punch in boxing that causes one’s opponentto fall and lose consciousness. •/The champion won the fight with a straightknockout./

[knock out]{v. phr.} To make helpless, unworkable, or unusable.•/The champion knocked out the challenger in the third round./ •/Thesoldier knocked out two enemy tanks with his bazooka./

[knock over]{v. phr.} To overturn; upset. •/I accidentally knockedover the Chinese lamp that fell on size floor and broke./

[knock the living daylights out of]{v. phr.}, {slang},{informal} To render (someone) unconscious (said in exaggeration). •/Thenews almost knocked the living daylights out of me./

[knock the stuffing out of] See: KNOCK THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF.

[knot] See: TIE IN KNOTS, TIE THE KNOT.

[knotty problem]{n. phr.} A very complicated and difficult problem tosolve. •/Doing one’s income tax properly can present a knotty problem./

[know] See: FOR ALL ONE KNOWS, GOD KNOWS or GOODNESS KNOWS or HEAVEN KNOWS,IN THE KNOW, NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN or NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO JUMP.

[know a thing or two about]{v. phr.} To be experienced in; have afairly considerable knowledge of. •/Tom has dealt with many foreign traders;he knows a thing or two about stocks and bonds./

[know enough to come in out of the rain]{v. phr.} To have good sense;know how to take care of yourself. — Usually used in the negative. •/Bobdoes so many foolish things that his mother says he doesn’t know enough to comein out of the rain./ •/Sally may look stupid, but she knows enough to comein out of the rain./

[know-how]{n.}, {slang} Expertise; ability to devise andconstruct. •/The United States had the know-how to beat the Soviet Union tothe moon in 1969./

[know if one is coming or going] or [know whether one is coming orgoing] {v. phr.} To feel able to think clearly; know what to do. — Usually used in the negative or with limiters. •/On Monday, the car brokedown; on Tuesday, Mother broke her arm; on Wednesday, the children all becameill with the mumps; by Thursday, poor Father didn’t know if he was coming orgoing./ •/My cousin is so much in love that she scarcely knows whethershe’s coming or going./ Compare: IN A FOG.

[know in one’s bones] See: FEEL IN ONE’S BONES.

[know-it-all]{n.} A person who acts as if he knows all abouteverything; someone who thinks no one can tell him anything new. •/AfterGeorge was elected as class president, he wouldn’t take suggestions fromanyone; he became a know-it-all./ — Also used like an adjective. •/Theother students didn’t like George’s know-it-all attitude./

[knowledge] See: A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING, TO THE BEST OFYOUR KNOWLEDGE.

[know one in high places]{v. phr.} To be connected with people inpower. •/Ted’s grandfather was the mayor of Chicago so he knows people inhigh places./

[know one is alive]{v. phr.} Not to notice a person. — Used withnegative or limiting words and in questions. •/She was a good-looking girlbut she didn’t know I was alive./ Compare: GIVE A HANG.

[know one’s own mind]{v. phr.} To no( hesitate or vacillate; bedefinite in one’s ideas or plans. •/It is impossible to do business withFred, because he doesn’t know his own mind./

[know one’s place]{v. phr.} To be deferential to one’s elders orsuperiors. •/Ken is a talented teaching assistant, but he has a tendency totell the head of the department how to run things. Somebody ought to teach himto know his place./

[know one’s way around] or [know one’s way about] {v. phr.} 1. Tounderstand how things happen in the world; he experienced in the ways of theworld. •/The sailor had been in the wildest ports in the world. He knew hisway around./ Compare: HAVE BEEN AROUND. 2. or {informal} [know one’sonions] or [know one’s stuff] To have experience and skill in anactivity. •/Before trying to make any pottery, it is better to get advicefrom someone who knows his stuff in ceramics./ Compare: DRY BEHIND THE EARS.